I know that you can't really stop the technical progression but things like this make me really worried.

Competitive athletes are already putting a huge amount of strain over bodies resulting in being pretty much perma-injured. Once doing 4-5 quads over the course of two programs becomes the norm, it will only get worse. :(

I know that you can't really stop the technical progression but things like this make me really worried.

Competitive athletes are already putting a huge amount of strain over bodies resulting in being pretty much perma-injured. Once doing 4-5 quads over the course of two programs becomes the norm, it will only get worse. :(

I was thinking pretty much the same thing. If guys start doing (and more to the point, constantly practicing) that many quads and that many different quads, their hips are going to shatter into smithereens. I do not feel comfortable watching a generation of disposable skaters.

I was thinking pretty much the same thing. If guys start doing (and more to the point, constantly practicing) that many quads and that many different quads, their hips are going to shatter into smithereens. I do not feel comfortable watching a generation of disposable skaters.

Olympia - we don't have to wait that long for an answer - let's see how many male skaters go injury free to Sochi...

Let's face it, getting 5 quads in a competition is a more realistic goal for Aaron than him improving his artistry. The man knows his strengths and limits. Why waste lipstick on this pig when he can win best in show by oinking louder?

Let's face it, getting 5 quads in a competition is a more realistic goal for Aaron than him improving his artistry. The man knows his strengths and limits. Why waste lipstick on this pig when he can win best in show by oinking louder?

His coach is Tom Zakrajsek, who apparently sees no value in working on presentation skills. IMO, Max needs to dump Tom Z for Christy Krall.

Look what happened to Joshua Farris when he did! (Although I am also inclined to attribute a good portion of that to Damon Allen.) He became such a lovely, expressive, artistic skater, and he didn't lose anything technically.

Let's face it, getting 5 quads in a competition is a more realistic goal for Aaron than him improving his artistry. The man knows his strengths and limits. Why waste lipstick on this pig when he can win best in show by oinking louder?

I hope Tom Z has stopped over-training his athletes at the end of the season...they are either injured (Rachael) or out of steam (Brandon, Jeremy) when Worlds comes around. Max is young, though so maybe he'll be OK. (IF he can avoid the standard Tom Z disabling back injury)

If anybody is in doubt of that, watch Kostner's first Europeans performances from 2003. Her basic skating was lacking, she was totally deaf to the music, had terrible lines and really wooden movements. I wouldn't imagine in a million years that she'd become the stunningly beautiful skater she is today.